A Scoping Review of Sexual Violence and Serial Homicide Literature

• In Event: Methodological Issues in the Study of Violence

Abstract

There remains a fundamental debate in academia regarding a universally accepted definition of what constitutes serial homicide. One of the main arguments pertains to whether serial homicide is sexually motivated, as sexual violence is commonly present in serial murder cases. However, to further understand the connection between sexual violence (SV) and serial homicide (SH), we must determine the status of literature within these areas. This scoping review aims to (1) comprehensively assess and evaluate the existing literature on SV and SH, (2) summarize findings on the motives of serial homicide; (3) identify gaps in the literature; and (4) provide recommendations for future research and a universal definition of serial homicide. The authors conducted a scoping review of two criminal justice databases, (1) Criminal Justice Abstracts and (2) HeinOnline, for peer-reviewed articles involving both SV and SH. The search yielded 34 peer-reviewed articles (N = 34). An evaluation of these articles using thematic content and descriptive analyses suggests a gap in the literature concerning the intersection between SV and SH. However, several themes were uncovered in the content analysis, in particular, the common use of “sexual homicide” to explain sexually motivated serial killers. Theoretical implications and future research recommendations are discussed.

Authors

• Caroline V. Comerford, Sacred Heart University

• Erika Pichardo, Sacred Heart University